Russell Henley may not have received the ultimate birthday gift he hoped for at Augusta National on Sunday, but the golfer’s career-best major championship performance and temporary lead at the Masters made for a memorable 37th birthday celebration.
The American golfer carded a final-round 68, finishing four strokes under par to secure a tie for third place alongside three other competitors. He ended the tournament two shots behind champion Rory McIlroy, earning his strongest showing ever in a major championship.
“I feel like I handled it well, kind of like, I can do this,” Henley commented after his round. “I felt like I handled the pressure well, handled the conditions well. It was tricky out there.”
Had Henley captured the green jacket, he would have made history as the first golfer ever to claim Masters victory on his birthday. The most recent PGA Tour player to win on their birthday was Steve Flesch at the 2004 Charles Schwab Challenge.
The former Ryder Cup team member for the United States temporarily seized the tournament lead during Sunday’s action, but his putting stroke cooled during the crucial final holes of the championship.
“I hit it amazing today. I gave myself a bunch of looks. Unfortunately, I didn’t capitalize on those looks on the back like I would have liked to,” Henley explained. “Really thankful for a good finish. Wish I would have made some more putts and got a little closer to the lead, but overall very thankful.”
The strong finish represents a significant turnaround for Henley, who failed to make the cut at Augusta National in the previous year’s tournament.
